BabyCenter's award-winning content – made up of articles, videos, slideshows, and more – is created by our editorial team. We get help from freelance writers and editors as well as our advisory board of doctors and other experts.

How we create new content

New content starts with research: We dig into the topic we're going to cover by talking to experts and doing research as needed using the best, most-reliable sources. We also talk to parents and check out what people are saying in the BabyCenter Community.

We figure out the most important questions and concerns that parents or parents-to-be are likely to have, and we make sure the piece addresses those. If it's a medical topic, we use writers and editors who have a background in health and science. Each piece of content goes through several edits and rewrites until we're confident that it's clear and helpful.

Any piece containing medical information is reviewed by an expert on the BabyCenter Advisory Board. (For example, an article on the stages of labor would be reviewed by an ob-gyn, and a video on breastfeeding would go to a lactation consultant.) In some cases, we use a fact-checker to make sure all the important details are accurate.

Finally, the piece goes to a copy editor to make sure it reads clearly and is free of spelling and grammar mistakes. The primary editor then approves the final draft and publishes it.

How we keep our content up to date

There are so many pieces on our site – more than 10,000! – that keeping them all current is a big, never-ending job. We constantly monitor changes in the world of pregnancy, parenting, and family health. In response to important developments, we update our information as quickly as possible. And if an error is discovered, we fix it immediately.

We also steadily review and update our content, but it's like painting the Golden Gate Bridge: By the time we get to the end, it's time to go back and start over! If you ever notice something in our content that seems wrong or out of date, please don't hesitate to contact us at bc_editor@babycenter.com. We do read all messages.

These organizations publish research and guidelines on crucial topics such as whether bedrest is beneficial, when a pregnancy is considered full term, how to reduce the risk of SIDS, when to start your baby on solids, and much more. Their guidelines are carefully considered and backed by the best evidence available, which is why we echo them in our content. You'll probably hear these same guidelines when you visit your ob-gyn, your midwife, or your baby's doctor.

Note: BabyCenter is international. There are a number of BabyCenter websites in various countries around the world (such as BabyCenter Canada, BabyCentre UK, and BabyCenter Brazil). Each BabyCenter site has its own content and relies on guidelines from professional organizations in that country. So the information and advice you see on the U.S. BabyCenter site may differ from what you see on another BabyCenter site. Different cultures, healthcare systems, and public policy all contribute to the differences in guidelines and recommendations followed in other countries.

How we handle controversial topics

When it comes to pregnancy and parenting, we don't believe there's one "right" way to do things. Our goal is to give you accurate information about a topic, including the pros and cons of different viewpoints, so you can decide what's best for you and your family.

How we handle changing medical guidelines

It can be confusing when medical guidelines change over time. When it comes to preventing food allergies, for example, it's frustrating to hear that you shouldn't give your baby peanut butter when you have your first child, only to hear that you should give your baby peanut butter by the time you have your next child.

Health and safety guidelines shift when the results of enough well-designed studies contradict the current advice. The scientific method isn't perfect, but it's still the most reliable way we have to determine what works and what doesn't. So when the guidelines shift, we update the advice in our content too.